1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward systems for traffic information delivery via an industrial computer network, and related methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
A trend in the transportation industry is to utilize cost-effective communication and networking systems to communicate with traffic controllers located at or near street intersections. The traffic controllers are typically in operative communication with or comprise traffic lights/signals, surveillance cameras, sensors, detectors, etc., one or more of which may be housed in field traffic cabinets at or near the intersections. The communication systems may implement Ethernet and Internet Protocol (IP) based field communications or the like to communicate with and interconnect signalized intersections. An example of a widely utilized control system is a Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which is a computer system for monitoring and controlling one or more processes.
The communications infrastructure associated with such control systems provide the opportunity to effectively relay and deliver traffic information (e.g., updates regarding traffic conditions, collisions at an intersections, etc.) to network devices at or near street intersections. However, the communications infrastructure may be vulnerable to attack or abuse from unauthorized intruders, e.g., “hackers” or insiders operating outside their authority, gaining access to the system using stolen or “cracked” security information or using authorized devices. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a cost-effective system and method for relaying and delivering traffic information to mobile and/or static network nodes, while at the same time ensuring the security of communications with such nodes.